Tom Cruise is an idiot.

[HurryKane]

I haven't been able to verify it, but I've heard that $cientologists run the Cult Awareness Network as well. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Hey, CentralFlGal, I was able to find something that supports this: http://www.rickross.com/groups/newcan.html

From that link, here's a link to an old 60 minutes transcript of a piece about the $cienos bankrupting and taking over the CAN: http://www.rickross.com/reference/scien ... en427.html

[Miss Mary]

Yesterday was TC's birthday - #43. Wonder how he celebrated, since of course he's been so what's the word I'm looking for here, hyper of late?

My oldest daughter still thinks it's '"gross" that Katie Holmes is 26 and Tom Cruise is now 43. She wonders what Katie sees in Tom, put aside his wacky behavior of late and seemingly good looks to many women (I'm not one), she just can't get past their age difference!

Mary

[Windswept]

I just don't get it!?!

Tom Cruise is an actor. Period.

He is famous and rich and therefore of some interest in our society, but nothing about him or his background would make me even want to consider accepting his "opinion" on anything as even close to fact or of any importance. ( Unless, of course, he is discussing how to break in to the movie industry or acting techniques.)

Fame does NOT equal wisdom or knowledge.

[HurryKane]

Fame does NOT equal wisdom or knowledge.

Couldja send Tom a couple or thousand postcards with that on it?

[HurryKane]

Yesterday was TC's birthday - #43. Wonder how he celebrated, since of course he's been so what's the word I'm looking for here, hyper of late?

My oldest daughter still thinks it's '"gross" that Katie Holmes is 26 and Tom Cruise is now 43. She wonders what Katie sees in Tom, put aside his wacky behavior of late and seemingly good looks to many women (I'm not one), she just can't get past their age difference!

Mary

I believe when he dumps Katie, he'll start dating Dakota Fanning. Shortly thereafter he'll dump Dakota for a zygote.

[CentralFlGal]

I believe when he dumps Katie, he'll start dating Dakota Fanning. Shortly thereafter he'll dump Dakota for a zygote.

[CentralFlGal]

I haven't been able to verify it, but I've heard that $cientologists run the Cult Awareness Network as well. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Hey, CentralFlGal, I was able to find something that supports this: http://www.rickross.com/groups/newcan.html

From that link, here's a link to an old 60 minutes transcript of a piece about the $cienos bankrupting and taking over the CAN: http://www.rickross.com/reference/scien ... en427.html

Thanks Hurry! These links prove to be more interesting reading on the cult. They have their claws sunk into everything they can as it is...

snap snap snap

[CentralFlGal]

The "new" CAN? This prompted a search of the Wayback Machine (maintains copies of old websites).

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://cultawarenessnetwork.org

(Results for http://www.cultawarenessnetwork.org are the same.)

$cientologists are definitely running it, or at least a popular parody of the original group. Here is one of their articles from 8/16/2000: "What to do when someone you love joins a group you THINK you hate" (emphasis mine).

WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE JOINS A GROUP YOU THINK YOU HATE

CALM DOWN
Sit down.

Take a deep breath.

Think it through.

Do not panic.

Don't over-react.

Overreacting to a person's life choice is certainly a fast way to alienate them.

The smart thing to do as a first step is take a deep breath and calm down.

You don't know the whole story yet.

Calming down does not mean doing nothing. It means getting your thoughts together and acting rationally.

Calm down means just that. Calm down.

After you have taken a few deep breaths and given yourself time to think about it, you can contact the person you are concerned about and talk to them intelligently.

Then go forward from there ¾ getting more information, making sound decisions and taking sane actions.

This is not overly simplistic. It is sensible.

How many situations have you seen mishandled because of an undue emotional reaction based on incomplete or sensational information?

And I thought CAN was supposed to protect people from dangerous cults:

Nonetheless, gone are the days when blasphemers and non-believers could be locked away or stoned. We live in an age when all adults have inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, no matter how new and different those pursuits might be.

It goes on and on with silly examples dotted with buzzwords (remember that uneasy feeling you got watching Travolta in Battlefield Earth?) Freaky deaky, totally.

[streetsoldier]

"It goes on and on with silly examples dotted with buzzwords (remember that uneasy feeling you got watching Travolta in Battlefield Earth?) Freaky deaky, totally."

Oh, yeah..."leverage".

[iluvseashore]

Just wanted to give my 2 cents. I have a 12 year old son who is ADD. He is not a bad kid. Just the opposite. His behavior is wonderful but he has severe attentional difficulties. Yes, there are kids who are not diagnosed for the right reasons. I know this from experience in the classroom as a special education assistant. Parents do play a big role of course but there are students who have real problems. I explored every option that finacially I could. Medication and strageties to help him focus were the only things that worked. I am glad he has them both. His self esteem has risen due to the help he gets from the meds. and in time I hope and pray that he won't need them anymore.

Another comment I have is that I find it ironic that Tom Cruise is so closed minded about the issues that children face since it is well noted that he is dyslexic. He of all people should understand.

[Miss Mary]

I have a 15 year old with ADD as well. And like you iluvseashore, meds are necessary sometimes. I never wanted to just pop a magic pill into my child's mouth but we (Ped., teachers, parents, counselor) could see she needed something besides tutors, extra help, extended test taking time limits, parental involvement, etc. Shame on Tom Cruise for not seeing that for each child and each family, it's a personal, individual matter. There are teens and college age kids we've heard that buy Ritalin on the streets, just taking it for A's and so they can party more, stay alert in class. That's of course sad and wrong. That is NOT my kid and I'm sure not your child's situation someday either iluvseashore. Sometimes I wonder if these are the kids he's targeting. The ones that are on Ritalin, etc., obtaining it illegally but don't need it.

And he's a parent on top of this! I heard his children are home schooled. Probably by a hired, trained teacher, not Nicole Kidman. Who is as busy as he is making movie after movie. One on one time almost. I'm sure his children excel under this learning environment.

I think what irks people the most about TC is the gall and nerve he has to impose his opinions onto others.

I'm done now....just had to add my 2 cents worth to your 2 cents iluvseashore!

Mary

[iluvseashore]

I agree totally with you Miss Mary. Well said!!!

[Miss Mary]

Thank ya!!! We could put together your 2 cents, my 2 cents and combined our 4 cents worth is a heck of a lot more "sense" than TC is making these days.

Seriously though, have you all noticed how TC hasn't had a comeback to Brooke Shields' latest comments? Seems he's gone into hiding. Maybe his sister, slash agent, is wising up!!! Or maybe someone put duct tape over his mouth, to shut him up.

Mary